


Of Baskets and Baked Goods

by brilligspoons



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-23
Updated: 2011-09-23
Packaged: 2017-10-23 23:52:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/256490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brilligspoons/pseuds/brilligspoons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for <b>pocky_slash</b>'s Rainy Day Cuddles, Cookies, and Tea commentfic fest over at LJ - in which Charles finds a baby on his front step and gets the guy in the end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Baskets and Baked Goods

One rainy autumn morning, Charles Xavier opens his front door only to discover that someone has placed a baby (swaddled and tucked neatly into a wicker basket) on the stoop. There's a note pinned to the blanket that reads simply and in terrible penmanship, "Her name is Raven. Please take care of her." Charles panics for all of ten seconds - and then the baby wriggles a little in the sea of blankets, revealing deep blue skin, a shock of scarlet hair, bright yellow eyes, and a tiny, sleepy yawn (with accompanying adorable nose wrinkle). A month and a half later, he's submitted all necessary paperwork for adoption and officially becomes Raven's parent.

His colleagues at the university are flummoxed by this, to say the least. Charles had had a _reputation_ for being something of a party animal (not to mention a terrible flirt), and this sudden decision to adopt a child left on a doorstep (and who _does_ that these days?) is definitely not in keeping with his character. Nevertheless, Charles adapts quickly, adjusts every aspect of his life to suit being a parent, including altering his class and office hours and cutting out dating entirely so he can spend as much time with Raven as possible.

Charles' mutation comes in handy during the first five years - it's easy to soothe her hurts and fears and tantrums with a calming thought, and then when she begins to explore her ability to mimic appearance, he uses it to pick her out of a gaggle of children on the playground.

"You're _cheating_ , Daddy," she pouts. "You need to find me without your brain."

"I'll do that next time," Charles promises, though he constantly fears that if he keeps this promise he'll look and she won't be there and she'll get lost or kidnapped or - well. Charles likes being able to sleep at night and figures she'll understand eventually.

Raven's first day of kindergarten is a trial, of course, but not for her. Charles fusses over her lunch, her outfit, her shoes, her hair, her _everything_ , until finally she rolls her eyes and wanders out the door ("It's _raining_ , young lady, take your umbrella with you!") and into the car where she waits expectantly for him to stop freaking out.

"I'm sorry, Raven, I can't help it," says Charles as they drive over to the elementary school. "I just want everything to be perfect for you, darling."

"I know," Raven says. "Now stop it."

"Yes, ma'am," he says with a mock salute to her through the rear view mirror. Raven giggles and begins singing along with the radio.

Charles brings her into the building where they're directed to what will be Raven's classroom for the rest of the year. They argue about what they'll order for dinner that night on their walk there, only stopping when someone inside the room clears their throat pointedly. Charles looks up from Raven and stops short as he takes in the man before him. A strangled noise escapes his throat, and he feels a hot flush race across his cheeks and down his neck and chest.

"Hello," the man says, reaching out a hand to him. "Erik Lehnsherr. I'll be Raven's teacher this year. You must be -"

"Her father," Charles croaks out. He shakes Erik's hand. "Charles Xavier. Pleasure to meet you."

Erik smiles, and Charles is completely, utterly _gone_.

***

The following day, Charles hands Raven a tin full of homemade oatmeal cookies. "Here," he says, "give these to Mr. Lehnsherr, will you?"

"You've never baked before last night, Daddy," Raven says, holding it far away from her body. "Are you sure these aren't going to poison him? Because I like Mr. Lehnsherr."

"They're _fine_ ," Charles insists. "I tried a couple myself, and I'm still here."

Raven shoots him a skeptical glance but dutifully carries the tin into school with her. When Charles picks her up that afternoon and asks if Mr. Lehnsherr enjoyed them, she shrugs. "I didn't give them to him," she admits. "I gave one to Hank, and he turned this really weird green color and puked all over the floor, so I threw the rest out while everyone was busy cleaning up after him."

Charles pauses. "Good girl," he says. "Way to cover our tracks." She rolls her eyes at him and turns the music up louder.

He tries baking again the following week, but Raven reports that she used Alex as her guinea pig this time and had the same results. Charles is almost certain that the recipes he's using must be defective in some way, but Raven makes him promise to lay off the baked goods for a while. "At least until the boys forget what will happen when I give them something you made," she says. Charles admits that this is probably a good idea.

A month later, Charles is glaring at Raven. "Why can't you get into trouble? Just _one_ teacher-parent conference, that's all I'm asking for."

"Moira called you a 'champion flirt' once," Raven says. "I think your skills must have rusted or something."

"If they have, it's your fault," Charles grumbles.

Raven sighs, climbs out of her chair and into his lap, and rests her head on his shoulder. "I'm pretty sure he'd say yes if you asked him out on a date, Daddy," she tells him. "He asks about you sometimes. More than he asks about other parents."

Charles perks up at this. " _Does_ he?" he asks.

"Oh, sure. He even asked if you were single this morning. I said yes, of course, and -"

" _He asked what?_ " Charles demands. "Why didn't you tell me this immediately?"

Raven shrugs.

"Fine," Charles says decisively. "I'll ask him out on a date. I'll go in with you tomorrow morning, and -" The phone rings. Charles reaches over to the coffee table and answers. "Xavier residence."

"Hello, Charles," Erik says.

"Oh god," is all Charles can say. Then, realizing that _Erik is on the bloody phone_ , "I mean, hello, Erik. What can I help you with?" Raven makes a kissy face at him. Charles pushes her off his lap.

"I was hoping you'd tell me that you're available for dinner tomorrow night," Erik says. "That is, unless -"

" _Yes_ ," Charles says. "When and where?"

Raven wanders into the kitchen muttering something about seeming too eager (and where she learned _that_ , Charles doesn't know, but he suspects it begins with a M and ends with an OIRA). He settles the details of the date with Erik and joins her once he's hung up and spun around the living room like a loon a few times.

She waves his cell phone at him. "I called Moira," Raven says. "She's going to take me to the movies and dinner."

" _Excellent_ ," Charles says, "that's just what I -"

"And she says to pack an overnight bag for me, just in case you and Mr. Lehnsherr decide to canoodle."

Charles gapes at her. "You are _five_ ," Charles sputters. "You shouldn't use words like 'canoodle,' I don't care _what_ Moira tells you."

He packs the bag for her regardless and is ridiculously grateful for the foresight in the end as he and Erik do end up spending the night together, which is totally worth the knowing looks both Raven and Moira give him the next morning.

"What?" he asks. "Stop it. That's my daughter you're corrupting, Moira."

"Oh, _please_ ," Moira snorts. "I'm the reason she's as well-adjusted as she is, don't pretend like it isn't true."

Raven wraps her arms around Charles' middle. "You're not going to be all gross and lovey-dovey with Mr. Lehnsherr from now on, are you?"

"Well, I can't promise that," Charles says. "Maybe if you _got me in for a parent-teacher conference once in a while_."

"But you're dating him now," protests Raven. "You can see him whenever you want."

"I think," Moira says, "that we don't want to know the reason he's so set on these conferences, sweetie."

"Probably not, no," Charles replies. Raven huffs in annoyance, but a few days later comes home with a request for a conference regarding her recent poor behavior in class.

"I hope you're happy," she says.

" _Ecstatic_ ," says Charles. "You're the best daughter ever."

(He ends up making out with Erik against the chalkboard instead of discussing Raven, and though they don't get _caught_ , Charles gets a lot of odd looks as he leaves the school. It isn't until he's home that he realizes his backside is entirely coated in white and yellow chalk dust.)


End file.
